This invention relates in general to an electric connector and, more specifically, to an electric connector assembly that includes a terminal that is retained within a housing by a primary lock and a secondary lock.
Electric connectors may be used in automobiles, for example, in completing electrical circuits with components in a power distribution box or connecting a wiring harness to an electrical device. These connectors may include a wire that is connected to a connector terminal, and the connector terminal is designed to mate with a corresponding terminal located, for example, in the power distribution box. Some electric connectors include a connector terminal that mates with the corresponding terminal on a first axis, while the wire exits the connector on a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. These are known as ninety degree connectors because there is a ninety-degree angle between the terminal and the wire of the connector.
The wire is commonly connected to the connector terminal by welding an end of the wire to a portion of the connector terminal. This welding helps maintain a good connection between the wire and the connector terminal. The connector terminal is typically fixed inside a connector housing in order to help prevent damage to the electric connector and to maintain proper mating between the connector terminal and the corresponding terminal. For example, the connector terminal should not pull out of the connector housing if the wire is tugged or pulled. The terminal may be fixed inside the connector housing in part by providing a connector terminal that will engage a portion of connector housing if the connector terminal comes out of its proper position. Assembling these electric connectors can require inserting the wire end through a wire opening in the connector housing prior to welding the wire end to the connector terminal. It would be advantageous to have an electric connector that is easier to assemble.